That's because many of those who led the strike are the very people who churn out C-grade flicks on G-string budgets. They joined the movement just for appearances' sake, remarks Films Federation leader and respected film director Chashi Nazrul Islam, who has been spearheading an anti-vulgarity movement for the last two years.

Film industry insiders say several peddlers of celluloid smut wield considerable clout within the industry because of their links to the ruling party.

"In the past, when we called for an end to vulgar movies, they agreed but did not keep their word," comments Films Federation member and film producer Shamsher Ahmed.

Last week's protest was triggered by a ban imposed on a starlet named Poppy by the Film Producers and Distributors Association (FPDA). The association accused Poppy of not returning US $3,000 which she was paid as a signing amount for a movie she later backed out of.

But 28-year-old Poppy, who worked her way to the top through scores of B-grade movies in her decade-long career, offers a different storyline.

"After I signed a movie for Ammajan Film Production Company several months ago, the director wanted me to act in an unacceptable sequence. My refusal enraged him," alleges Poppy.

She says her only demand was that the filmmakers revise the script. "I just did not want to act in a dirty sequence, but the director's friends at the FPDA wanted to teach me a lesson," she fumes.

Poppy got the support of as many as 16 different associations involved with the Film Development Corporation (FDC) studio, representing over a thousand artistes, technicians, camera and support crews. A section of producers and directors also threw in their lot with the star.

Filmmakers, including Islam, and FDC managing director Wasimul Bari Rajiv, joined the movement and staged street rallies, demanding an end to vulgarity in films and withdrawal of the ban on Poppy.

But the AFPC launched its own movement, declaring 25 of the striking artistes and directors as persona non-grata. In addition, the AFPC accused Rajiv of encouraging vulgarity.

But Rajiv dismisses the allegations as absurd. "On the contrary, we are working on a law against vulgarity in films," he says.

As both sides traded charges, Information Minister Toriqul Islam along with Information Secretary Nazmul Alam Siddiqui held a meeting with tinsel town's feuding groups. The two sides finally vowed to prevent the shooting of vulgar films in future. Poppy agreed to return the money and the AFPC lifted its ban.

"We shall no longer tolerate tasteless scenes in movies," comments Toriqul Islam. "The FDC will not allow such shootings."

But film director Sharfuddin Khan admits there is a lack of sincerity in the anti-vulgarity movement itself, terming it an offshoot of the bickering between filmmakers and stars.

Khan's observations aren't entirely baseless. After all, the "king of vulgarity" Monwar Hossain Dipjol was there in the trenches with the demonstrators.

Apart from being a listed criminal wanted for a number of serious crimes, Dipjol has influence in filmdom because he is a ruling party-backed city ward commissioner.

As the most popular celluloid villain - he's also a producer - Dipjol has been accused of giving a new meaning to vulgarity and profanity on screen.

Dipjol refutes such allegations. "It is true that when I started acting in the mid-90s, I was misled by some directors. But I no longer use vulgar (themes) in my movies," he claims.

Such claims don't stand the test of scrutiny. Dipjol and several of the new crop of producers and directors have mastered the art of screen smut, which fetches quick bucks at the box office - with low investment.

Producer Shamsher Ahmed explains the rise of vulgarity in Bangladeshi movies especially in the past decade.

"The gradual decline in the quality of films has ensured that the primary audience is half literate or illiterate, digesting cheap plots, heated dialogue delivery, demeaning projection of women and projection of men as macho," explains Ahmed.

Making vulgar flicks doesn't need movie making skills or substantial investments. On the other hand, such movies guarantee a minimum return.

Often there is little by way of plot or story. Kala Pathar, a movie packed with lewd dances and mindless violence shows the leading lady so steamed up in the presence of her lover that smoke begins to gush out of her clothes.

Dipjol's movies, for instance, are famed for lewd rape scenes, portrayed in a voyeuristic fashion. In some of his films, Dipjol literally eats the heart out of his victims' chests.

The women in these films are invariably portrayed as scantily dressed weak characters or sex objects. A "respectable woman" in such movies is one who worships her husband as her God.

But with bad films driving away good audiences, there aren't enough patrons to sustain the 80 movies released in Bangladesh every year.

Nearly 60 per cent of movies end up in the box office dustbin.

Ahmed says the vulgarity formula is no longer working. "Even illiterate people have enough taste to reject the level of sex, violence and profanity in these movies," he observes.

"Only ten percent of movies make a profit and 30 percent break even. So we feel that vulgarity is a basic threat to quality, the movie industry and the country's movie culture. That is why we want it gone," says Ahmed, who has produced several clean hits.

Film producer Sadeq Siddiqui comes down heavily on the Censor Board, labeling it corrupt and politically tainted.

In his defense, Censor Board member Anwar Al Din remarks that, "When a producer submits a film for certification, it is neat. But after it is certified and distributed across the country, extra footage - vulgar dances, dialogues and tasteless scenes - is added."

Surprisingly, such a chauvinist portrayal of women has not triggered protests from social or women's groups. Ahmed says the reason is that educated and rights-conscious audiences simply don't watch Bangladeshi films.

But last year, lobbying by the film industry itself led the government to form a task force comprising moviemakers and Censor Board members to monitor such releases.

But thanks to the rift in filmdom, the task force never got going.

The sleaze notwithstanding, filmmakers who care about meaningful movies aren't about to pack up and leave. Vows Islam, "We have withdrawn the strike, but our movement against vulgarity will continue."